


A Lost Brother

by Just_a_kid_at_heart



Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Brother Sister Relationship, F/M, Gen, Outlander Secret Santa 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 22:56:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17610623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_a_kid_at_heart/pseuds/Just_a_kid_at_heart
Summary: This is a story written for the Outlander Secret Santa 2018 for @mricg. This takes a look at Jenny after she watches Jamie’s being taken away by the British.





	A Lost Brother

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mricg](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Mricg).



Jenny watched as the Redcoats carted her brother away. Yes, it had been his decision to turn himself in, but she still had the terrible feeling of how she had betrayed her brother. It didn’t seem right that Jamie had to be the one to sacrifice himself for the safety of Lallybroch.

When they were younger Randall had taken Jaime while he was defending her honor, then she hadn’t heard from him for five years, as he avoided home, not wishing to bring any harm to Lallybroch. Then Jamie had returned and with a wife who she could see made him happy, but the moment cut short as once again the Redcoats took him away. When he and Claire returned to Lallybroch from righting that wrong, within months they were off again fighting this damned rebellion, which had robbed Jamie of his wife and his heritage of Lallybroch. Jenny was struggling with why this was the way things had to be, why must her brother be a part from her again, why must he suffer so much.

It was nearing dark before Jenny could bring herself to move from the archway that had taken Jaime away from her once again. It was young Jamie who got her moving as he came out to tell her that Mrs. McNab had supper on the table. Jenny blinked out of her stupor, she had never felt so useless in her life. What was she doing standing around being idle and wallowing in her grief? This was not the first time she had lost her brother, and the grace of God had restored him to her before, she would just have to pray that the same would be true this time. There was work to left to do, she thought as she turned and went into the house.

\-----------------------

Dinner was a quiet affair, as most dinners had become as of late, but this one seemed extra quiet. The children all seemed to sense that something was off with their mother, and none knew what to say. The youngest had been fed earlier and were already in bed in the nursery for the night, but young Jamie, Kitty, Maggie, Rabbie McNab, and Fergus all sat around the table along with Mary McNab in silence, eating potatoes for what felt like the millionth time.

Jenny turned to her eldest son. “Jamie, after dinner we will go to your father’s study and look over the ledgers for this quarter. We need to see how we are doing this quarter compared to last and which of our tenants might be in need of some assistance.”

“Aye, mam, but I thought Da kept the ledgers in order?” Jamie questioned. He knew his mother knew about everything that went on at Lallybroch, and the place couldn’t run without her, but he had never seen her looking over the ledgers that was something his Da had always done, and he had just begun to teach him.

“Aye, but as you can see your Da isnae here at the moment to look, and we can’t just ignore things and let them sit, as a result.”

“But isna Da, coming home soon?” Young Maggie questioned.

Jenny sighed, this was the one question that she hated from her children. Unfortunately, each time they took Ian away for being a proposed supporter of the Jacobites, the time he spent in jail varied. On some occasions the Deed of Sassine with elder Jamie’s transfer of Lallybroch was enough to convince them and the British returned Ian home shortly, on others they questioned him more and it took much more effort to return Ian home to them. Jenny had hope that after turning in Jamie to the Redcoats that Ian would be on his way home shortly, as they had proven their loyalties to the crown with that betrayal, but Jenny could never be certain of what they would do. If he didn‘t returned home soon, Jenny would contact Ned Gowen to see what was going on.

“I hope so, mo chridhe, but I dinna ken exactly when your Da will return to us, and some things canna wait.”

“Aye, Mam,” Young Jamie responded, “we can look at the ledgers tonight.” This would be a different experience with his mother. He hoped he had learned enough from his Da to be helpful if Mam had questions for him.

“Good, the rest of you off to your beds for the night. There’s naught more to do today.”

\-------------------------------

It had been a long week since Jenny had watched the British cart her brother away. Jenny was in the kitchen helping Mary McNab clean up from the evening meal when she heard the dogs barking out in the yard.

“Sounds like we have a visitor, madame.” Mary stated as she was drying off one of the dishes.

“This late?”

Jenny walked to the door to see who had come to Lallybroch for a visit this late in the evening. As she opened the door, she stopped short. She could see him hobbling through the front gate, Ian, her beloved husband, had returned. Jenny took off through the door to reach Ian.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Ian looked up to see his wife running to him. A smile spread across his face as he saw Jenny for the first time in over a week. These partings between them were happening too often, they would need to discuss and see if they could figure out a way to appease the British and make them stop. He couldn’t take another jail sentence.

Jenny stopped in front of Ian as she brought him into a loving embrace. The two held onto each other for dear life. Ian could hear the sobs coming from his wife and pulled back to look at her face.

“Mo ghràidh, it is sae good to be home and to look upon your face.” Ian said as he wiped away the tears running down her face.

Jenny responded to Ian with a kiss, she would need that boost of courage to tell him all that had happened while he was away. “Ian, you have nae idea how happy I am that you have returned to us, come inside, Mary and I will get you a plate of food. I am sure you are starving from your journey.”

Jenny escorted Ian inside the house to the kitchen. “Mary, can you fix a plate of food for Ian?”

“Right away Madame.” Mary answered as she rushed to the cellar to grab food for the meal.

Ian and Jenny sat across from each other at the table holding hands and gathering courage and strength from the other.

“Mo chridhe,” Ian began, “I’m sae glad to be back home with you, I hate when we must be parted, because of all this madness, will the British never stop their terrorizing of us.”

Jenny smiled a sad smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, telling Ian of Jamie’s sacrifice would not be an easy feat. “I dinna ken, if it will truly stop them, but we have hopefully found a way to make then stop.”

“What have you done?”

Jenny held back a sob, remembering the image of her brother in the back of the Redcoat’s cart. “It’s not what I have done, it’s what Jamie has done.”

“Jamie?” Ian questioned, what had his fool of a best friend done now, to cause his wife such heartache.

“Aye, he arranged for us to hand him over to the British.” Jenny began.

“What??!!”

“He wanted to see Lallybroch safe, and he knew his presence here was only making the British harassment worse because of the rumors of Red Jamie in the woods. Arranging his arrest would prove our loyalty to the British and hopefully stop the raid. I couldn’t convince the fool of another plan. If I’d refused, he would have done it himself.” Jenny huffed, still frustrated with the stubbornness and sacrifice of her brother.

Ian moved to stand next to Jenny embracing her as she cried out her emotions over the loss of her brother. He didn’t understand why Jamie was always the one sacrificing himself for Lallybroch and his family. “I ken, mo chridhe, it’s difficult, but we will get through this. We must preserve and see Lallybroch safe as Jamie would have wanted.”

Jenny laughed, turning to reciprocate Ian embrace. Having Ian home had restored a bit of her hope and joy. “Aye, the fool would never forgive us if we let his sacrifice be in vain. Lallybroch will survive, for Jamie, and for us.”


End file.
